1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a spinning reel. More specifically, the present invention relates to a spinning reel that is mounted on a fishing rod, and is capable of reeling out a fishing line in a forward direction.
2. Background Information
Conventionally, a spinning reel is mounted on a fishing rod, and reels out fishing line in a forward direction. The spinning reel includes a reel unit, a handle assembly, a rotor, and a spool. The reel unit is mounted on the fishing rod. The handle assembly is rotatably mounted to the reel unit. The rotor is rotated in cooperation with rotation of a handle assembly. The fishing line is wound around an outer periphery of the spool by rotation of the rotor. The rotation of the handle assembly is transmitted to the rotor via a rotation transmission mechanism. The rotation transmission mechanism includes a master gear shaft, a master gear, and a pinion gear. The master gear shaft is arranged along a left-and-right, first shaft axis direction. The master gear shaft is rotatably mounted to the reel unit. The master gear includes a plurality of face gear teeth on an outer periphery on an interior side surface of the master gear. The master gear rotates together with the master gear shaft about the first shaft axis. The pinion gear is arranged along a second shaft axis that is skew to the master gear shaft. The pinion gear meshes with the master gear. The handle assembly is non-rotatably mounted to the master gear. The spool is mounted to a fore end of a spool shaft that is arranged along a front-and-rear direction. The spool shaft is moved back and forth in cooperation with the rotation of the handle assembly by an oscillating mechanism.
In this type of spinning reel, generally, both ends of the master gear shaft are supported by the reel unit. The handle assembly can be coupled to either the left or right side of the master gear shaft. On the other hand, spinning reels designed specifically for a left or right handed user are also known in which the handle assembly is coupled only on the left or right side. The handle assembly is cantilevered by the reel unit, and the master gear shaft does not traverse the reel unit. See, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication KOKAI No. HEI 10-004836.)
In the known spinning reel, the master gear is integrally formed at one end of the master gear shaft. The master gear shaft passes through and thus, is cantilevered by a cylindrical rotation support portion that is disposed on a lid member of the reel unit. The rotation support portion accommodates a pair of bearings that are spaced away from each other in the axial direction of the master gear shaft. Accordingly, the master gear is located on the interior side in the axial direction relative to the rotation support portion. Thus, the master gear shaft is not located on the interior side relative to the master gear, and does not traverse the reel unit. In this case, a slider of an oscillating mechanism is arranged to overlap the master gear in the front-and-rear direction. Consequently, in this spinning reel, the length of the reel unit in the front-and-rear direction is short. Therefore, it is possible to make the reel unit compact.
In the aforementioned known configuration, the master gear and the slider is arranged to overlap each other. Accordingly, the length of the reel unit in the front-and-rear direction is short. However, since the master gear is cantilevered, the support interval in the rotation support portion becomes wide. This elongates a protrusion that is provided to support the master gear shaft.
In view of the above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that there exists a need for an improved spinning reel that can minimize a protrusion that is provided to support the master gear shaft. This invention addresses this need in the art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.